RODRIGUEZ ARRIVES TWO WEEKS BEFORE HIS TITLE FIGHT WITH NIETES; WANTS TO ACCLIMATIZE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 30 Jun 2015
Mandatory challenger Francisco ?Chihuas? Rodriguez (17-2-1, 11 KOs) travelled Sunday to the Philippines where he?ll challenge Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes (35-1-4, 21 KOs) for the WBO flyweight championship on July 11 at the Waterfront Hotel Casino in Cebu City, providing fight fans a glimpse of how seriously he?s pursuing the quest to become the first fighter to beat the longest reigning Filipino world champion.
Rodriguez, a former IBF/WBO minimumweight champion, who won the minimumweight title beating Nietes? good friend and stablemate Merlito ?Tiger? Sabillo via a 10th round TKO, has prompted Nietes to train harder than ever before and has vowed to avenge the loss of Sabillo.
Rodriguez reportedly left for the Philippines two weeks early to adapt to the time and climate.
Nietes who was also the WBO minimum weight champion before moving up and winning the light flyweight title against Raul Garcia Hirales in Bacolod City, will be making the 12th defense of his crown against Rodriguez. He won the minimum weight title on September 30, 2007, and now has the longest world title run in Filipino history having surpassed the record set by the late great Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde who reigned as world junior lightweight champion foe almost seven and a half years.
There?s been tremendous interest generated in the Nietes title defense after the Filipino appeared peeved by the cocky stance of Rodriguez and vowed to shut his mouth on July 11 after Rodriguez suffered a slight ankle sprain and forced the ?Pinoy Pride XXXI? fight card to be pushed back by one week.
In a forum post on Fight News, David John Trehane of Bangkok said ?eight years holding and defending a world title is tremendous. If only a bigger fight was available to showcase his talent. A fight with WBC champion Wanheng Menayothin of Thailand would be a real treat for boxing fans. Maybe even in a third country like Macau. Boxing is in need of fights like this.?
Brad Stemp commented, ?I think this will be a terrific fight. Very real chance of an upset to end the wonderful reign of Nietes.?
Photo: Former Mexican world champion Francisco Rodriguez (R) connects against Jomar Fajardo of the Philippines during their 10-round bout at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City on Nov. 15, 2014. Photo by Dong Secuya.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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